“Actually, I own the house for now. Check the escrow terms,” Elsie said. “I took the last few days to educate myself on the terms of the agreement. And while you get to live on the premises, it is still my house for another two weeks. Oh, and fun fact, you bought this as an ‘as is’ so any and all renovations made to the house from here forward is financially on you.” She looked at the crew. “Carry on, fellas.”
“Carry on?” Rhett said as he followed her into the kitchen. “You know how I need quiet to work.”
“You know, I could have had this all handled for you. But I offered you my services and you declined.”
His gaze ran the length of her, taking in every inch. “Can you define what service we’re talkin’? That way I can form an appropriate answer.”
She rolled her eyes and turned her back to walk into the kitchen. Rhett followed her, purposefully brushing past her on his way to grab a mug. Since she was in front of the cabinet, he reached over her head, boxing her in slightly, his bicep brushing her arm. She shivered and he grinned.
That’s what I thought.
Not budging, he reached down and opened the drawer for his coffee grounds to find it empty. He checked the surrounding drawers. Empty.
She turned in his arms, bringing them breathably close. Her eyes went wide and her mouth formed the perfect circle of faux surprise.
“Whoops,” she said. “I’m sorry–not sorry that I drank the last of the pot. And you might want to add coffee beans to the grocery list. You’re out. Caffeinating a crew of eight can do that.”
He didn’t move, holding her hostage, or was she holding him hostage with those green eyes? Whichever, neither shifted—not even an inch. They stood there, steadily holding locked gazes.
He let his eyes roam down and back up, smiling when he noticed the pulse at the base of her neck hammering. Her face was flushed, and her mouth parted on a rush of air. “You okay, Red?”
She cleared her throat. “Fine.”
“You sure, you’re looking a little pink around the edges.” She was also looking at his lips as if she was as curious about him as he was about her.
Chin up, she shifted a little closer, pressing all the way forward, her chest flush with his, and for one mind-blowing, heart-stopping, best-day-of-his-life moment, he thought she was actually going to kiss him. Then her eyes narrowed. “It’s an allergic reaction to toxic dick syndrome.”
He laughed out loud. “You might want to find a pill for that, because from now until you move out, I’m going to be right over your shoulder.”
Smiling, he picked up her steaming mug, which was on the counter behind her. She reached for it, but he was quicker. Before she could snatch it back, he took a hearty sip.
With a prim huff, she turned back to her work and back to ignoring him. Which was why he sat next to her and bumped her hips with his. She bumped back. “Do you mind? I don’t have time for distractions. I’m meeting my new client at two in the Pearl District, it’s a second meeting, and this isn’t anywhere close to done.”
“Is this the recording studio?”
She glared up at him. “I thought you just looked at the first few pages.”
“I may have glimpsed a few sketches on the wall while you were playing pink-thong roulette. Which, by the way, I think landed on the right choice for you.” He looked down at her legs, the way her denim hugged every curve drove him crazy. “Any hint on today’s choice? I hope it’s bold, like peacock blue.”
“What man says peacock-blue panties?”
He waggled a brow. “The kind of man who’s seen peacock-blue panties?”
Chapter Seven
Dating Tips from Elsie Dodd
Forget the bad boy.
Go for the man.
Elsie wasn’t a crier. If she allowed herself to give in whenever things didn’t go her way, she’d be too busy wiping her tears to get anything accomplished. So worrying over her potential client’s decision to meet with other more established designers, who would have extensive and impressive portfolios, would be pointless.
What she needed was a plan—a solid plan to showcase her skills. But since she was short on plans, solid or otherwise, she decided to consult Ben and Jerry for advice. She was two pity scoops in when she felt the energy in the air shift. It practically crackled.
“Is it safe to come out?” Rhett asked from the entry.
Not wanting to let him see how upset she was over something as silly as a maybe, she dialed up the smart-ass. “Depends on if you’re clothed or not.”
